Educational appliance



June 1 I926. 1,587,399

G. E5. MOLER EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Filed July 10 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnbcwfoz G, 6'. Mo Zer Ethan e1,

June 1 1926 G. S. MOLER EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Filed July 10 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1 1926.

G. s. MOLER EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Filed July 10, 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 1, 1926.

GEORGE S. MOLER, F IIHACA, NE'W YORK.

EDUCATIONAL AIEPLIANCE.

Application filed July 10, 1924.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in educational appliances of a physical nature.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device which may be very successfully employed, in a laboratory or other similar place, for the purpose of aiding in the study of physics.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which will indicates in a qualitative manner many things of interest to the physicist in reference to the absorption and conduction of heat, the changing of vapor tension and the center of gravity, and the mechanical work accomplished thereby; certain cycles of operation being disclosed which will continue to occur as long as favorable conditions prevail.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device, for accomplishing the above set forth purposes, which makes use of differences in temperature, brought about by means other than by evaporation, for causing desired changes of vapor tension which in turn perform the work of elevating a volatile liquid for changing the center of gravity of a movable structure.

Another object of the invention is to produce mechanical motion by employing; the differences in temperature between the warm unconfined air and a cooling bath for affecting a volatile liquid with its vapor to' bring about changes in center of gravity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device which, when displayed while in operation, will attract the attention of the public, whereby it may be used for advertising purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed for designating like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying this invention with the movable portion of the device shown in one of the two different positions of rest assumed during the operation of the same and further shows the cooling bath removed for better illustrating the relative positions of all parts of the said movable structure,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 and shows the location of the cooling bath and the Serial No. 725,213.

relative positions of the various portions of the movable structure when the same is locked in its inoperative position,

Figure is a top plan view of the apparatus as illustrated in Fig. 2,

Figure l illustrates an elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus with the movable structure arranged in one of its positions of rest assumed during the operation of the same and illustrates the location of one of the elements while subn'ierged in the cooling bath,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken upon lines V--V of Fig. 3,

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, taken upon lines VI-VI of Fig. 2, and more clearly illustrates the instrumentalities employed for controlling the operation of the movable structure, and

Figure 7 illustrates a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the cooling bath carrying frame and the means employed for securing the said bath to the frame.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates the base portion of the device which consists of the bars 6 and 7 which are connected at their adjacent ends for forming a rectangularly-shaped structure, the said bars 6 being adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontally extending surface while the side bars 7 are positioned with their ends resting upon the end portions of the bars 6; EX- tending vertically from the intermediate portions of the side bars 7 are the uprights 8 which are provided with longitudinally intending, apertured arms 9 which have their upper ends projecting above the higher ends of the uprights 8. Rotatably received within the apertures of the arms 9 are the pivot pins 1.0 which are arranged in axial alinernent with each other and are embedded inthe opposite ends of the-bar 11.

Suit-ably secured to one end of this bar 11 and arranged substantially at right angles thereto is a leg 12 which has an aperture 18 formed in the lower portion thereof adapted for receiving the shiftable bolt 14 which is slidably carried by the adjacent side bar 7 of the base 5. This bolt 14': is manually operated by means of the vknob 15 for the purpose of retaining the bar 11 stationary or for permitting it to rock upon its pivot. A bracket 16 depends from the bar 7 directly below the pivot pin 10 and has connected thereto a movement limiting element which should be of a flexible nature, such as a length of cord or section of chain. This movement limiting element 17is connected at its opposite end to the extreme lower end portion of the leg 12. The same end of the bar 11 is provided with a rod 18 which extends at right angles to the axis of the said bar and is provided with a shiftable weight 19 which is retained in its adjusted position by the set screw 20.

In Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, there is illustrated a tank 21 which is entirely open at its top and is provided with the longitudinally extending bracket plates 22 which are provided with apertures 23. In Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive and 7 there is shown an elongated frame which consists of the parallel side bars 24 having their adjacent ends connected by the transversely extending blocks 25. This frame is adapted for having; placed thereupon the tank 21 which extends substantially the full distance between the blocks 25 and has its bottom surface resting upon the parallel bars 24. The blocks 25 are each provided with a pin 26 which is adapted to be received within one of the apertures 23 formed in a bracket plate 22. A pivoted keeper 27 is carried by each block 25 and is employed for securing the tank 21 to the frame by having the reduced end 27 positioned to overlie one of the bracket plates 21. In Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive the tank 21 and its supporting frame are illustrated as being properly associated with the base 5. This base 5 has secured to the end bars 6 the pivotally mounted locking strips 28 which are of elongated formation and are adapted to be received within the grooves 29 formed in the outer faces of the blocks 25. These strips 28 are provided with laterally extending notches 30 that are intended to aline or register with the pins 31, carried by the blocks 25 and intersecting the grooves 29, for the purpose of insuring the proper positioning; of the tank 21, Each strip 28 is provided with a pin 32 which is employed for pivoting the said strip. This tank is intended to receive a suitable liquid, such as water, which should be at a lower temperature than the temperature of the unconfined air surrounding the device. The liquid within this tank is intended to be used as a cooling bath and the best results will be obtained if ice water or other iced liquid is placed therein.

Suitably secured to the bar 11 are a series of connected bulbs which are arranged in such a manner that the small terminal bulbs 33 and 34 are positioned one on each side of the bar 1.1 and are connected to said bar by means of the reversely curved tubes 33 and 34 which are attached to the bar 11 by the straps 35. The outer ends of these tubes 33 and 34 communicate with the large bulbs 33" and 34" respectively. A tube 36 connects: the large bulbs 33" and 34" and is secured to the undersurface of the bar 11 by the series of straps 37. By inspecting Fig. 3. it will be seen that the small terminal bulbs 33 and 34 possess the same common vertical plane while the large bulbs 33 and 34" have a common vertical plane which extends in parallelism to the common vertical plane of the small terminal bulbs. The offsetting; of the terminal bulbs permit-s them to be submerged in the cooling bath, one at a time by alternately rockingp; the bar 11 in opposite directions. The rocking of the bar 11 for the purpose of submerging the small terminal bulbs 33 and 34 in the cooling bath will be limited by the element 17 for the purpose of preventing either of the bulbs on the lower side from striking any stationary portion of the apparatus. The notch 11 formed in the bar 11, see Fig. 1, is provided to pre vent engagement of the said bar with the wall of the tank 21.

It is to be understood that the various bulbs and tubes are to be arranged in respect to each other as illustrated in the various figures and that the entire structure may be made from glass and in one piece or that they may be made of any other suitable material or materials and formed integral or in separate units and connected together in any suitable manner.

It is intended that the bulbs and tubes have sealed therein a volatile liquid with its vapor after all air has been expelled therefrom. To accomplish this, the bulbs and tubes are partially filled with a volatile liquid, such as ether, gasoline, alcohol, etc. This liquid is boiled in any suitable manner and after all of the air above the liquid has been expelled and while the vapor of the liquid is still issuing slowly, the tip of the jet 33 is hermitically sealed oft. The tubes and bulbs will then contain only the volatile liquid and its vapor.

The operation of the movable portion of this device may be described as follows It will be considered that the volatile liquid has entirely gathered in the large bulb 34", illustrated in Fig. 4 as being below the large bulb 33". The positioning of all of the liquid in this bulb 34" will. of course. rock the tubes and bulbs with their supporting bar 11 for causine the small terminal bulb 33 to be submerged in the tank 21 which contains the cooling bath. The vapor tension in the bulb immersed in the cooling bath and the large bulb 33" located thereabove to which it is connected becomes less than in the other two bulbs 4 and 34 with the result that the greater tension in the bulbs 34 and 34" will force the volatile liquid uphill through the tube 36 to the lELlfIO bulb 33" which is connected to the small terminal bulb 33 being cooled in the cooling bath. The forcing; of the liquid into the higher side of themovable structure, or in other words into the large bulb 33, will cause this side of the structure to become heavier than the lower side with the consequence that it will tip down and plunge the small terminal bulb 34- into the cooling bath after the terminal bulb has been withdrawn therefrom. A similar operation will then be repeated and the volatile liquid will be forced into the higher large bulb which in this instance will be the bulb 34". This transferring of the liquid from one large bulb to the other will continue as long as the temperature of the cooling bath is below the temperature of the air surrounding); the portions of the movable structure not immersed therein.

It will readily be understood, by those skilled in the art to which this apparatus pertains, that some of the thii'iegs shown qualitatively by this device are the absorption of heat from the air to keep up the temperature of the enclosed liquid; tire conduction of heat from the vapor in the immerse-d terminal bulb on account of its being cooled; the reduction of vapor tension in the immersed terminal bulb on account of its being cooled: the mechanical work being; done by the higher vapor pressure in the elevated terminal bulb and the larger bulb connected thereto shown by its pushing the liquid up to the elevated large bulb; the changing of the) center of gravity by the transfer of the liquid to the higher large bulb thus causing mechanical motion; the whole apparatus illustrating a heat engine where the source of heat is the warm air surrounding: the structure and the condenser is the bulb immersed in the cooling bath; and the certain cycles of operation which repeat themeselves over and over again as long: as the necessary conditions of temperature prevail.

' One additional feature of construction. thought to be worthy of notation is the relative positions assumed by the terminal bulbs 33 and at with respect to their large bulbs 33 and 34;. It will be understood that when a terminal bulb is immersed in the cooling bath, a condensing of the vapor therein takes place. If this condensed vapor were allowed to accumulate, the terminal bulbs would soon. be full of the liquid and the operation of the apparatus would cease. it will be noticed, by inspecting i, that the terminal bulb 34 is much higher than its larger bulb 84 and that the intermediate or straight portion of the reversely curved tube 34? declines toward the large bulb an, also the upper curved end of the tube 34'' is coiuiccted to the terminal bulb at substantially its lowest point. All of these structural features insure the draining of the condensed vapor from the terminal bulbs when they are at their highest positions and thereby prevent the accumulation of liquid of condensation in the terminal bulbs.

It is now believed that the utility of this device as an educational appliance will be readily understood and that the operation and construction of the same have been clearly disclosed by the above detail description. It believed advisable to again note that this apparatus may be commerically used for advertisingpurposes. It readily *ill be seen that by introducing some coloring: matter into the liquid contained in the bulbs and tubes its movement can more readily be discerned at a distance. I also desire to have it understod that this apparatus is not limited in its use to an educational appliance or advertising device, for;

the ro chino; movement of the bulbs and tubes or the swinging movement of the leg 12 or rod 18 may be employed for performing: light work.

ltt is to be unuerstood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be talicn as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I ClZIlHlI 1. F or educational or other purposes, the method of indicating various reactions produced by temperature changes, said method consisting: in establishing an elongated closed chamber with a content of volatile liquid and its vapor, and producing: transfer of liquid between definite intermediate portions of the chamber by concurrently subjectin p; the ends of the chamber to the action of external temperatures differing in value one from the other to thereby vary the vapor tension values between the liquid and the content of the respective ends of the chamber.

2. For educational or other purposes, the method of indicating; various reactions produced by temperature changes, said. method.

consisting in establishing an elongated closed chamber with a content of volatile liquid and its vapor and with the chamber having dethitely positioned enlarged portions spaced from the chamber ends and from each other, and producing transfer of liquid between such intermediate enlarged portions by concurrently subjecting the ends of the chamber to the action of external temperatures differing in value one from the other to thereby vary the vapor tension values between the liquid and the content of the respective ends of the chamber.

3. For educational or other purposes, the method of indicating various reactions produced by temperature changes, said method consisting in establishing an elongated closed chamber with a content of volatile liquid and its vapor and with the chamber having definitely positioned enlarged portions spaced from the chamber ends and from each other with the chamber ends also enlarged, and producing transfer of liquid between definite intermediate portions of the chamber by cmicurrently subjecting the enla rged ends of the chamber to the action of external temperatures differing in value one from the other to thereby vary the vapor tension values between the liquid and the content of the respective ends of the chamher.

4. For educational. or other purposes, the method of indicating various reactions produced by temperature changes, said method consisting in establishing an elongated closed chamber with a content of volatile liquid and its vapor and with the chamber having definitely positioned enlarged portions spaced from the chamber ends and from each other with the chamber ends also enlarged, and producing transfer of liquid from the intermediate chamber which is in open commimication with the enlarged end of higher tennperatm'e to the intermediate chamber which is in open communication with the enlarged end of lesser temperature by concurrently subjecting the enlarged ends of the chamber to the action of external temperatures difiering in value one from the other to thereby vary the vapor tension values between the liquid of the respective in termediate enlargements and the corresponding enlarged ends of the chamber with which the intermediate enlargements so communicate.

For educational or other purposes, wherein an elon ated closed chamber of tubular characteristic is provided with spaced apart enlarg remcnts connected together by a tubular portion with such enlargements spaced from the ends of the chamber and with the chamber ends enlarged, the enlarged ends of the chamber being connected respectively with the intermediate enlargements by tubular portions which provide open communication between an enlarged end and the intermediate enlargement with which its tubular portion is connected, said chamber having a content of volatile liquid and its vapor, the method of indicating various reactions produced by temperature changes, which method consists in producing transfer of liquid between the intermediate enlargements through such enlargement connecting portion by concurrently subjecting the enlarged ends to the action of external temperatures differing in value one from the other to thereby vary the vapor tension values between the liquid and the content of the respective enlarged ends of the chamber.

6. A method as in claim 5 characterized in that the transfer of liquid is from the intermediate enlargement that is in open com munication with the enlarged end of higher temperature value regardless of the position of the intermediate enlargements relative to a horizontal plane passing through or between them.

7. A method as in claim 5 characterized in that the transfer of liquid to the inter mediate enlargement that is in open communication with the enlarged end having the lesser temperature value regardless of the position of the intermediate enlargements relative to a horizontal plane passing through or between them.

8. In an educational apparatus, an elon gated chamber supported for permitting rocking movement, a series of spaced apart enlargements formed in said chamber, a working substance confined in said chamber, and means active concurrently on the content of the different enlargements for sul jecting the working substance to temperatures of dillerent values to produce substance movement in the chamber to cause the center of gravity of said chamber to be changeiil for producing mechanical motion.

9. In an educational apparatus, an elongated hermetically sealed chamber supported for permitting rocking movement, a series of spaced apart enlargements formed in said chamber, a working substance confined in said chamber, and means active concurrently on. the content of the different enlargements for subjecting the working substance to temperatures of different values to produce substance movement in the chamber to cause the center of gravity of said chamber to be changed for producing mechanical. motion.

10. In an educational apparatus, an elongated chamber supported for permitting rocking movement, series of spaced apart enlargements formed in said chamber, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber, and means active concurrently on the content of the diiferent enlargements for subjecting the vapor to temperatures of different value for causing movement of the volatile liquid to change the center of gravity of said chamber for producing mechanical motion.

11. In an educational apparatus, an elon gated hermetically sealed chamber supported for permitting rocking movement, a series of spaced apart enlargements formed in said chamber, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber, and means active concurrently on the content of the different enlargements for subjecting the vapor to temperatures of different value for causing movement of the volatile liquid for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to produce mechanical motion.

l2. In an educational apparatus, a structure including a series of spaced apart bulbs interconnected to form a sealed chamber, means for pivotally supporting said structure, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber, and means for alternately subjecting a portion of said bulbs to temperatures of different value for causing the remaining bulbs to alternately receive said liquid for changing the center of gravity of said structure.

13. In an educational apparatus, a base, a cooling bath carried by said base, a hermetically sealed chamber having terminal enlargements, and intermediate enlargements, means carried by said base for rockingly supporting said chamber, said chamber being formed with the terminal enlargements in vertical alinement with said cooling bath whereby when said chamber is rocked the terminal enlargements will be alternately immersed in said cooling bath, and a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber whereby the subjecting of said terminal enlargements alternately to the different temperatures of the surrounding air and the cooling bath will cause the liquid to be transferred from the lower intermediate enlargement to the higher intermediate enlargement for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to cause the rocking of the same.

14. In an educational apparatus, a base, a cooling bath carried by said base, a hermetically sealed chamber having terminal enlargements and intermediate enlargements, means carried by said base for rockingly supporting said chamber, said chamber being formed with the terminal enlargements in vertical alinement with said cooling bath whereby when said chamber is rocked the terminal enlargements will be alternately immersed in said cooling bath, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber whereby the subjecting of said terminal enlargements alternately to the different temperatures of the surrounding air and the cooling bath will cause the liquid to be transferred from the lower intermediate enlargement to the higher intermediate enlargement for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to cause the rock ing of the same, and means for limiting the rocking movement of the chamber in both directions.

15. In an educational apparatus, a base, a cooling bath carried by said base, a hermetically sealed chamber having terminal enlargements and intermediate enlargements, means carried by said base for rockingly supporting said chamber, said chamber being formed with the terminal enlargements in vertical alinement with said cooling bath whereby when said chamber is rocked the terminal enlargements will be alternately immersed in said cooling bath, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber wiereby the subjecting of said terminal enlargements alternately to the different temperatures of the surrounding air and the cooling bath will cause the liquid to be transferred from the lower intermediate enlargement to the higher intermediate enlargement for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to cause the rocking of the same, and means for holding the chamber in an inoperative position.

16. In an educational apparatus, a base, a cooling bath carried by said base, a hermetically sealed chamber having terminal enlargements and intermediate enlargements, means carried by said base for rockingly supporting said chamber, said chamber being formed with the terminal e nlargei'nents in vertical alinement with said cooling bath whereby when said chamber is rocked the terminal enlargements will be alternately immersed in said cooling bath, a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber whereby the subjecting of said terminal enlargements alternately to the different temperatures of the surrounding air and the cooling bath will cause the liquid to be transferred from the, lower intermediate enlargement to the higher intermediate enlargement for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to cause the rocking of the same, means for limiting the rocking movement of the chamber in both directions, and means for holding the chamber in an inoperative position.

17. In an educational apparatus, a base, a cooling bath removably carried by said base, means for insuring the proper positioning of said bath, a hermetically sealed chamber having terminal enlargements and intermediate enlargements, means carried by said base for rockingly supporting said chamber, said chamber being formed with the terminal enlargements in vertical alinement with said cooling bath whereby when said chamber is rocked the terminal enlargements will be alternately immersed in said cooling bath, and a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber whereby the subjecting of said terminal enlargements alternately to the different temperatures of the surrounding an and the cooling bath will cause the liquid to be transferred from the lower intermediate enlargement to the higherintermediate enlargement for changing the center of gravity of said chamber to cause the rocking of the same.

18. In an educational apparatus, a base, an element rotatably carried by said base, a closed chamber secured to said element, said chamber having terminal enlargements and intermediate enlargements arranged in respect to said rotatable element so that the intermediate enlargements are positioned on opposite sides of said element and the tcrminal enlargements are positioned on the opposite sides of said element in respect to each other and to the intermediate enlargements in open communication therewith, a cooling bath carried by said base in vertical alinenient with said terminal enlargements, means for limiting the rotary movement of said element in either direction for causing movement in opposite directions to alternately immerse the terminal enlargements in said cooling bath, and a volatile liquid with its vapor confined in said chamber whereby the innnersi-ng of said terminal enlargements alternately in the cooling hath will cause the liquid to he transferred from the lower intermediate enlargements to the higher intermediate enlargement for changing the center of 'avity of said chamber to produce a rocking motion.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE S. MOLER. 

